With 100,000 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass or cardiac valve surgery annually in the U.S.A. at a cost approaching $2 billion, there is pressing need for a longitudinal study of post-operative recovery which goes beyond survival and relief of pain to assess recovery more comprehensively, but nevertheless in specific quantitative terms. We propose to continue and expand our present project in order to study pre-operatively and follow semi-annually for three years, 1200-1500 heart surgery patients from cooperating medical centers. Bio-medical and psychosocial predictor variables include pre-operative medical status, surgical and per-operative data, emotional states, long standing personality and sociological variables. Recovery is being assess in terms of medical status, physical functioning, fulfillment of occupational and family roles, social participation, emotional status, and self-esteem. Plans for recruiting the study group and the collection, management and analysis of data are presented. The Project has the potential to replicate and extend descriptive medical studies of the post-operative course of heart surgery patients as well as to add information about those psychosocial dimensons for which recovery is less complete for many patients. The repeated measures design provides a longitudinal dimension absent from most previous studies. Predictive and multivariate statistical analyses are also planned. The current "pilot project" is operational at three medical centers. Cooperation has been excellent. Intake protocols are complete and follow-up protocols are well advanced. Development of the computerized data management system is on schedule. This project holds the promise of providing foundations for more comprehensive and effective programs of post-operative care, and hence more complete recovery for a greater proportion of the growing population of heart surgery patients.